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Four veterans appeared on a conservative commentator’s show to slam vice presidential candidate Tim Walz’s military record.
The group, who served in the National Guard at the same time as Walz, appeared on The Megyn Kelly Show in an interview released Monday to criticize the governor’s service record. Kelly, now a conservative podcast host, formerly worked for Fox News and NBC News.
Walz served in the National Guard from 1981 to 2005 — and his service record has been the target of heavy criticism ever since he joined Kamala Harris’s campaign, given he left the National Guard shortly before it was announced his unit could be deployed to Iraq.
Retired First Sergeant Rodney Tow told Kelly he doesn’t “understand” how Walz could “morally” leave the National Guard.
“He has absolutely no integrity,” Tow said.
Walz’s unit was notified they could be deployed to Iraq in March 2005, one month after Walz filed paperwork to run for Congress. His campaign released a statement that same month that he would not drop out.
“As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on,” Walz’s campaign said in March 2005. “I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington DC or in Iraq.”
Walz’s final day in the National Guard was in May 2005.
“What would he have done if he had lost and then had abandoned his soldiers too,” retired command sergeant major Tom Behrends told Kelly.
It is unclear exactly when Walz filed his retirement paperwork with the National Guard – however, it typically takes at least 90 days to process the request, The Washington Post reports.
Walz’s former unit then received orders to deploy to Iraq in July. They arrived in March 2006 and returned home in October 2007.
During the interview, retired command sergeant major Paul Herr called Walz a “habitual liar.”
“He lies about everything,” Herr told Kelly. “He lies about stuff that doesn’t even make sense.”
Walz has faced criticism over describing himself as a retired command sergeant major. However, he retired as a master sergeant, the Post reports. While he did serve as a command sergeant major, he did not retire as one or receive retirement benefits for the rank because he still had to complete training.
“He held multiple positions within field artillery such as firing battery chief, operations sergeant, first sergeant, and culminated his career serving as the command sergeant major for the battalion,” Kristen Augé, Minnesota National Guard’s state public affairs officer, told the Post.
“He retired as a master sergeant in 2005 for benefit purposes because he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy,” Augé said.
This group isn’t the first to speak out against Walz for his military record. Doug Julin, a retired National Guard soldier, told The Washington Post that Walz “let his troops down” when he left.
“Nobody wants to go to war,” Julin told the outlet. “I didn’t want to go, but I went.”
Republican Ohio Senator JD Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate, has also criticized Walz over his record. Vance - a Marine who served in Iraq - has claimed that Walz purposely dodged going to Iraq, calling his move into politics as “stolen valor garbage.”
Walz, for his part, has defended his service record.
“I’m going to say it again as clearly as I can: I am damn proud of my service to this country, and I firmly believe you should never denigrate another person’s service record,” Walz said at a campaign event last month.
The campaign has also praised the governor.
“After 24 years of military service, Governor Walz retired in 2005 and ran for Congress, where he was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform — and as Vice President of the United States he will continue to be a relentless champion for our veterans and military families,” the Harris campaign said in a statement to the Post last month.
The Independent has contacted the Harris-Walz campaign for comment.
